IT and Video Game Design

Digital Design and Graphic Arts

Do you have a dream of running your own business and would like to be able to create your own designs for advertising & marketing? Would you like to know how to create graphics such as logos, business cards, flyers, banners, and package labels? Are you interested in photography or just love to dabble with filter effects? Cape Coral High School isn’t just an IB school; it’s a digital design center. Students enrolled at Cape High have access to the technology-intensive courses that allow them to work hands-on with the same cutting-edge technology and software as today’s premiere design professionals.

This academy prepares graphic design students for a successful career in both design and production through an emphasis on developing the student's capacity for critical thinking, and stimulating imagination and innovation.

The critical skills of perception, interpretation, and inventiveness are fostered as well as an understanding of digital design business practices. Industry standard software applications are used while solving design problems, planning, and executing solutions.

Many of the courses at Cape High require students to work with products from Adobe. Adobe staples such as Dreamweaver, Flash, Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop, and Premiere Pro are used extensively by digital design and graphic arts students.

Student computer stations have the complete Adobe Master Collection installed to give students the best possible access to these applications.

Video Game Design and 3D Animation

Are you interested in how video games are made? Would you like to know how visual effects in movies and 3D animations are brought to life? If you are creative, detail-oriented, and enjoy using the latest technology, a career in the 3D industry is within reach. Opportunities for aspiring game developers are diverse and can include computer programmers, 3D modelers, animators, concept artists, level designers, texture artists and many more who collaborate in the making of a game. Using a hands-on approach, you receive an intensive, in-depth exposure to the core of 3D design, game mechanics, story and plot development, 3Dmesh data and content creation using the same software tools the pros use, 3ds Max.

The video game industry is a multi-billion dollar global industry and game designers routinely demand six-figure salaries. Students who study video game design and 3D animation at Cape High have the opportunity to pursue a variety of computer-based design courses using industry-leading software. With programs like Adobe Flash, Autodesk’s 3ds Max, Mudbox, and Unity, Cape High students work hands-on with the same revolutionary software as today’s design professionals, which gives them a significant advantage at the postsecondary level.

Students are introduced to the fundamental principles of 3D animation and game design development. This program is a four-year sequence of project-based courses oriented to game and simulation development that align relevant academic, employment, and workforce standards.

The content includes practical experiences in game and simulation conceptualization, design, storyboarding, development, methodologies, audio and sound effects design and production, video and special effects design and production, and implementation issues.

The main areas of focus within video game design are: concept artists, 2D and 3D animators, and 2D texture artists. For gaming development, students can eventually enjoy a career as a games programmer, lead programmer, engine programmer, or a tools programmer.

Students in the video game design and 3D animation program spend four years working with Autodesk’s 3ds max software as the core application in a curriculum designed to accelerate their exposure on a career path towards video game design and development. At the end of four years, students have the opportunity to earn industry certification in 3ds Max.

3ds Max is the same software used in engineering companies to do plant layouts. Architectural companies also use 3ds Max to present walkthroughs of new buildings to clients, and many entertainment companies, including Bungie, Ubisoft, Pixar and Disney, use 3ds Max to create popular AAA games and animated movies.